SMS short codes

Short and recognisable numbers for high volume messaging

Deliver thousands of texts per minute with Esendex SMS short codes. These short, recognisable numbers are an effective way to reach large audiences quickly, capture responses, and build trust with recipients.

graphic showing the short code 80881 in a message bubble

Trusted by 46,000 customers to deliver world class mobile messaging services

Short code options to suit your business

Discover flexible short code options that match your messaging needs. Choose a shared number with keywords, or a dedicated code that belongs only to you.

Shared short codes

Use a shared short code with a unique keyword at the start of each message to route replies to your account. A cost-effective way to run campaigns while customers pay only their standard network rate.

Dedicated short codes

Own a short code exclusively and receive every message sent to it, without the need for keywords. Perfect for high-volume messaging, brand visibility and large-scale campaigns.

FreeText short codes

Our ‘FreeText’ service allows respondents to text in for FREE, for example to a marketing campaign. Using FreeText removes the send cost for respondents and helps to increase response rates.

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Why choose a short code?

SMS short codes are easy to remember and unmistakably associated with businesses. When a recipient sees a message from a short code, they know it’s from an approved organisation, which can help to establish trust and credibility.

They can be used across multiple campaigns with different keywords, making it easy to track which marketing channels and promotions are performing best. Short codes are also listed in public directories, giving your campaigns added legitimacy.

Most importantly, they are designed for speed. While standard mobile numbers can only send around one message per second, short codes can deliver up to 100 messages per second.

A campaign to 20,000 recipients that could take over five hours with a long number can be completed in just minutes with a short code. For flash sales, limited-time offers and urgent alerts, that speed can make all the difference.

Learn more about our SMS solutions available with short codes, or start your free trial now:

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“We wanted a solution that could quickly help fans tell us of troublemakers in confidence and not have their own safety compromised.”

Safety Officer – Nottingham Forest Football Club

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Flexible uses for SMS short codes

Sales and marketing

Promote offers, competitions and events at scale with fast, high-volume SMS campaigns sent from a short, memorable number.

Audience engagement

Invite customers to text keywords to your short code to opt in, join loyalty programmes or request information instantly.

Alerts and authentication

Send urgent notifications or two-factor authentication codes quickly and reliably with high-throughput delivery.

Esendex, your reliable business messaging partner

20+ years experience

We’ve been helping businesses send text messages to customers for over two decades. Our team brings in-depth knowledge and technical expertise to every solution we deliver.

46,000+ customers

Organisations of all types and sizes trust Esendex to power their communications. From fast-moving retailers to highly regulated sectors, we support a wide range of messaging needs.

5B+ messages per year

Our platform is built for high performance at scale. Every year, we deliver billions of messages with the speed, security and reliability our customers rely on.

Security and compliance

We’re ISO 27001 certified and fully GDPR compliant. From data protection to message delivery, security is at the core of everything we do.

Global reach

Send messages worldwide with confidence. Our direct carrier connections and in-country knowledge ensure reliable delivery across borders.

Flexible integration

Use our intuitive web platform or connect via API. Whether you’re sending one-off messages or building complex automations, we give you the flexibility to work your way.

Let’s start sending, together.

Discover the full power of our mobile messaging platform.